


A Night On The Town

by sweetcarolanne



Category: Vampire Chronicles - Anne Rice
Genre: Anger, Family, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Kissing, M/M, Memories, Misses Clause Challenge, Vampires, Yuletide New Year's Resolutions Challenge, Yuletide Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-24
Updated: 2016-01-24
Packaged: 2018-05-15 22:05:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5801941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetcarolanne/pseuds/sweetcarolanne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A night out hunting as a family brings up old memories for Louis, and Claudia witnesses something unusual transpire between her fathers...</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Night On The Town

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Susanoo_no_Mikoto](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Susanoo_no_Mikoto/gifts).



> Dear Susanoo_no_Mikoto, this was another story inspired by your prompts that I did not have time to write in time for the main Yuletide collection or for Madness. I hope you like it!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters and am making no money from this story whatsoever.
> 
> Many thanks to my beta who wishes to remain anonymous.

“It’s exquisite – and of course, you are exquisite!’ Louis exclaimed as Claudia beamed, turning this way and that to better show off the ruffled skirt and finely crafted trimmings of her newest gown. Lestat stood a few paces apart, tilting his head and attempting to survey their favorite seamstress’s latest masterpiece with a critical eye, but even he could not help but smile in approval at the vision of loveliness that was his vampire daughter.

The dress was an unusual hue for Claudia to have selected, but she did indeed look glorious in it. Rose-pink silk enhanced the porcelain pallor of her skin and the shimmering gold of her curling hair. Puffed sleeves and a modest yet elegant neckline edged with lace of darker pink threaded through with silver made Claudia appear even more delicate and graceful than she already was. Matching gloves, a necklace of seed pearls and diamonds that would have been too grand for an ordinary little girl but suited Claudia perfectly, and a single sweet-scented real rose fastened in Claudia’s curls completed the image of unearthly beauty that was the immortal child that night.

“Even we two handsome gentlemen are outshone by this gorgeous young lady tonight!” Lestat declared with an exaggerated bow to Claudia. “Come, let us go out and dazzle the mortal hordes with our radiant presence, and later we shall feast upon their very life’s-blood!”

Claudia smiled, but her eyes were full of a deep longing that had nothing to do with the upcoming excitements of the evening. “Could we hunt together after the play? All three of us? Please?” Her question was directed towards Lestat, but her gaze flicked towards the second of her two fathers, Louis, and it was filled with love for him and a touch of disappointment that he never let her see him kill.

“I would very much enjoy that, Claudia. Would you, Louis?” Lestat said with a raised eyebrow and a smirk in Louis’s direction. 

A cloud of doubt seemed to pass over Louis’s face, but he managed a small nod. His qualms about killing were well known to his fellow vampires; Lestat and Claudia were very much aware of his preference to find strangers in the night and to kill them swiftly rather than spending time in the company of mortal victims, flattering and seducing and bewitching as the two of them liked to do. But Louis also loved little Claudia devotedly, and could not deny her what she so passionately wished for.

The play they went to see was Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, which seemed to thrill Lestat the most out of the three of them, with his penchant for the Bard and his works. Claudia was impressed enough by the opulent costumes and stage-sets, the romantic story and the skill of the actors and actresses, especially the slender, dark-haired girl in the role of Juliet who truly appeared as young as her character was supposed to be, although her expertise spoke of an actress of greater years and experience. Only Louis seemed distracted and preoccupied, fidgeting visibly in his seat during the performance more than once and drawing disapproving glances on several occasions from both his companions.

As the trio walked from the theater after the play, as usual drawing many admiring glances from the people around them because of their attractive aspect and stylish clothing, the tense expression on Louis’s face became even more apparent. He walked slightly ahead of Lestat and Claudia, his whole body unusually rigid in its gait, and did not seem to be keeping his senses alert for potential victims as they were doing.

“What on earth is he playing at?” Lestat hissed through gritted teeth. Claudia shook her golden head irritably while focusing on Louis for the time being instead of passing mortals.

“I’ll catch up with him and ask what’s wrong – no, wait, Lestat! He seems to have actually found us a suitable victim!”

Louis, in his haste to turn the corner into a small, nearly deserted side-street, had almost collided with a tall, slim youth, no longer a child but not yet grown to manhood, who seemed more concerned that Louis might be in distress than with his own wellbeing. The boy was handsome and soft-spoken, and although his clothes were shabby his skin smelled clean and enticing. Lestat and Claudia drew silently nearer, watching in fascination as Louis leaned in closer to the boy, waiting for their fellow vampire to bare his fangs.

But then Louis shoved the youth aside and swiftly fled, disappearing into the shadows as Lestat snarled and bit back a curse, seizing Claudia by the hand and pursuing Louis at a frantic pace, faster than any mortal could ever move. 

It was Lestat who first caught up with Louis, seizing him by the arms as soon as they were behind the closed doors of their home. Claudia stood still by the doorframe, eyes wide with childish terror as Lestat shouted, “Fool! That boy was easy prey, and you let him slip from your grasp! Whatever possessed you? I’ve told you many a time, it is in the nature of vampires to kill! We are predators, and mortals exist for us to feed upon!”

Louis merely shook his head. “I know, and tonight I shall kill, but not that mortal, not now. His eyes… their intensity, so like my brother’s… the resemblance was too much for me to bear!”

“Human sentimentality!” Lestat sneered, digging his hard fingers even more roughly into Louis’s upper arms. “He was not your brother. Your brother is gone forever. It’s as I told you long ago. We vampires are detached from that world of humans and their feelings, except when we take lives.” 

Claudia remained where she was, rooted to the spot, her small, pale hands twisting in the deep pink folds of her skirt. She said nothing, but her eyes told of her misery. She loathed it when her fathers disagreed, especially so violently and loudly. Louis managed to catch her gaze and seeing the sorrow and fear in her expression, pushed Lestat aside and made as if to go towards Claudia and offer comfort, but Lestat was between them, his body stiffened with fury as he paced.

Claudia ached to run towards her fathers, to beg them to cease their quarrel, but something she could not explain kept her standing still. Perhaps it was the sudden change in Lestat’s movements, from an enraged catlike pacing to an almost seductive sidling up to Louis and hissing, “Are we not your family now, Louis? We immortals? Am I not as a brother to you, after all I have done for you – and for our child?”

Louis’s eyes widened, and it was his turn to seize hold of Lestat. In a voice that could not be heard by any mortal ears, only by those of a vampire, he whispered, “You are far more to me, Lestat – and you know it!”

Something seemed to crackle between Louis and Lestat – a new kind of tension that seemed to diffuse the anger but ignite some kind of passion in its stead. In an instant, Lestat’s lips were pressed fiercely against Louis’s in a bruising, claiming kiss. Louis moaned into Lestat’s mouth as Claudia finally blinked and recovered herself.

As her vampire fathers embraced, Claudia somehow knew that this act was not something that a child should witness, and slipped quietly to her room unnoticed, to wait patiently until it was time for the family to go hunting again.


End file.
